Online Casinos For Players In The North West
Jun 01, 2023
You might be wondering why anyone would want to use online gambling sites in the North West when South Africa’s premier vacation destination, Sun City, is on their doorstep. Well, there are plenty of reasons why! Convenience, ease of use and the ability to play from the comfort of your own home are among the top. That isn’t to say that Sun City doesn’t have its merits, The Valley of the Waves, the arcade and, of course, the casino are all massive pull factors when it comes to where you want to play your games.
In addition to Sun City, the North West also houses the Pilanesberg National Park, an incredible getaway resort that has you becoming one with nature. You’re able to camp outside in the wilderness, set up your tent and have a good old fashioned braai.
If you’re making a list of all the places to visit in the North West make sure you add the Hartbeespoort Dam to that list. Another gorgeous attraction that the province has going for it, you better manage your time if you want to see everything!
Let’s now get into online casinos and how they’re viewed, operated and regulated in the province.
Gambling Laws Of South Africa
Before we can get into online gambling, we first need to look at gambling as a whole across the country. We’ll keep it somewhat brief as there have been multiple revisions and amendments to the National Gambling Act since it was first introduced to the country in 1996.
The initial act stated that should a casino wish to operate within the country it would need to first obtain an operating license. This makes sense as these licenses would assure guests that the goings on within the casino walls were legitimate and above board.
An amendment was made to the National Act in 2004 which saw quite a big shift in the way we gamble today. The change hit online gambling and online operators. It prohibited the use and the operation of online gambling games and sites within the borders of the country.
The North West Gambling Board
The North West Gambling Board was created shortly after the North West West Gambling Act of 2001 was implemented. The board was set up as a means to help regulate gambling in the province, create economic opportunities and stability and to maintain an ethical relationship with casinos in its jurisdiction.
While all provinces have their own gambling board, they do share a few similar objectives but are ultimately different and independent from one another simply due to the landscape that they serve and are trying to assist. The aim of each board is to regulate South Africa’s gambling houses.
If you are looking for particular or specific information about a gambling topic in the province feel free to call them on 018 384 3215, send them an email via their website or try to schedule a meeting at 131 University Drive, Mmabatho.
Is Online Gambling Legal In The North West?
This is a rather murky subject so we’ll try to clear things up a little. The short answer to that question is no. Since the national stance changed in 2004, online gambling and the operation of online gambling sites has been prohibited. The National Act allows for physical gambling and online sports betting, which is a shame because as times and technologies change and evolve you’d expect legislation to change with it.
All is not lost however, there are a few workarounds which have allowed people to skirt around these rules, at their own risk however.
Am I Able To Gamble Online In The North West?
This is where things become grey. While you are physically able to gamble online, there are no website restrictions in place, you are technically not allowed to. That doesn’t stop players from playing at offshore online casinos licensed in Curacao for example. The fact that there is very little enforcement to the rule means that players use online gambling sites at their own risk. Just because currently there aren’t enough resources to crackdown on those that use online gambling sites doesn’t mean that there won’t be.
While yes, you are able to physically gamble online, it is all done at your own risk. Make sure the site you use is legitimate and regulated, do some research on a site before you commit any cash to it and read our casino reviews to stay in the loop.
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